Healthcare industry is getting a rapid makeover, from surgical robots to smart hospitals; the digital transformation is revolutionizing health care in new and exciting ways. Companies in the healthcare industry are all pumped up, and current trends promise further big changes for professionals in the healthcare business.
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10 best healthcare companies 2019
1. Asia Monthly May 2019
Technology CEOs News Business FeaturesLeadership CIOs
www.thesiliconreview.com
Simplifying Healthcare Innovations
Clinivantage Healthcare Technologies Seeks To
Transform the Future with Its PaaS/SaaS Based
Mobile Applications and Services
Nilesh Jain, Co-founder
10Best
HEALTHCARE
Companies
SR 2019
An Apple a Day keeps a Doctor Away: Its High Time We burst this Health Myth and Many Others / PG-08
3. TRANSFORMING
MOBILE NETWORK ECONOMICS
Mavenir is focused on accelerating software network
transformation and redefining network economics
for Communications Service Providers (CSPs) by
offering a comprehensive end-to-end product portfolio
across every layer of the network infrastructure stack.
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SOLUTIONS
GET IN TOUCH : www.mavenir.com
6. CONTENTS
ASIA MONTHLY | MAY 2019
Volume - 3 | Issue - 5
Delivering World Class
Healthcare Solutions:
Srishty Medical (SNG
India), a Comprehensive
Solutions Provider, Is
Committed To Take
Healthcare Innovation to
the Next Level
Pankaj Narula &
Puneet Narula
Providing Best-in-
Class Dialysis Services:
NephroPlus
Vikram Vuppala
Founder & CEO
Addressing Disease
Management in Non-
Communicable Diseases
- CIPHER Healthcare
Sonali Srungaram, MD
The Leading Genetic
Testing and Digital
Health Company –
Prenetics
Danny Yeung, CEO
Experts in Dialysis Care
and Renal Disease
Management: DCDC
Aseem Garg
Co-founder & Promoter
The Power to Cure:
Advancells Is a Pioneer
in Stem Cell Therapies
Designed and Customised
For Individual Needs of
Patients
Vipul Jain, Founder & CEO
Future of Ophthalmic
Care: Forus Health
K Chandrasekhar
Founder & CEO
Pioneering in Child
Healthcare Services
that Deliver Quality
AddressHealth
Dr. Anand Lakshman
CEO
Advancing Medical
Imaging to Propel
Research: LPIXEL Inc.
Shimahara Hajime, CEO
Rethinking Care
Management with
Artificial Intelligence
Biofourmis
Kuldeep Singh Rajput
Founder & CEO
PG - 10 PG - 14
PG - 26 PG - 28 PG - 32 PG - 36
PG - 40 PG - 44 PG - 46 PG - 50
7. COVER STORY / PG-18
FEATURE ARTICLES
Simplifying Healthcare
Innovations:
Clinivantage Healthcare
Technologies Seeks To
Transform the Future with Its
PaaS/SaaS Based Mobile
Applications and Services
Nilesh Jain, Co-founder
An Apple a Day keeps a Doctor Away: Its High Time We burst this Health Myth and Many Others
World Health Organization says India has a Shortage of Healthcare Providers: Here is the Solution
The Continual Distress in Healthcare Solved by Startups in India
Fascinating Innovations from the Future Healthcare Event 2019
Nanomedicines Have the Potential to Become the New Face of Cancer Treatment Therapy
Scientists Make a Crucial Breakthrough in Regenerative Medicine
Visual Prosthesis: “Artificial eyes” for the Blind
Robotics Changing the Face of Healthcare Forever
Corporate Healthcare Needs To Be Personalized
The Secret to a Healthy Life in the Old Age Could Lie In the Blood of Young People
08
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48
52
8. A
n apple a day keeps a
doctor away: this has
been proverbial advice
since the olden day’s
wisdom-folklores.
It first appeared in the 1860s in
Pembrokeshire, Wales that apple
consumption is directly related
to health benefits. The original
wording of the infamous proverb
was “Eat an apple on going to bed,
and you’ll keep the doctor from
earning his bread” which came
into existence as it was commonly
believed that apple consumption
has great health benefits. However,
a recent study found that there is
no evidence that the famous
proverb was true. There was no
direct correlation between visits
to the doctor and apple
consumption. Although the fruit
is laden with nutrition, there are
many other fruits that are much
higher in their nutritive value
and also much cheaper than apples.
Similarly, there have been
many myths revolving
around food and health for
years. It is high time we
debunk the following myths:
Fat consumption will make you
fatter: People who are planning to
lose weight tend to avoid fatty food
completely. However, what matters
the most is what type of fat one
is consuming, rather than blindly
An Apple a Day keeps a Doctor Away:
Myth and Many Others
MAY 20198
9. cutting down on fats. Contrary to
past believes, there are certain
healthy fats present in vegetable oils
such as sunflower, olive, groundnut,
coconut, and certain food items like
fish, seeds, and nuts are essential for
staying fit and healthy. In fact, many
health experts promote the benefits
of consuming a tablespoon of ghee
(clarified butter) daily.
Eating too much sugar can cause
diabetes: While it is true that food
with high sugar content is risky
for diabetic patient, sugar as such
doesn’t cause diabetes. However,
eating too much sugar can make
you overweight and that in turns
increase the chances of having
type 2 diabetes. Hence, instead of
worrying about eating anything
that is sweet, one must watch their
weight. Sugar alone doesn’t make
you overweight; in fact, processed
food has the highest contribution in
weight gain.
As far as type 1 diabetes is
considered, sugar or anything you
eat isn’t the cause, as this type of
diabetes hits when insulin isn’t
produced in the body due to the
weak immune system.
Detox food and drinks will
remove toxins from the body:
Well, this is one of the most popular
myths of recent times. These days,
there are plenty of detox diets,
juices, and treatments like an
enema or colonic hydrotherapy
to cleanse the system. However,
medical experts tell that our bodies
are self-sufficient to cleanse itself.
These aren’t any need of explicit
detoxification, as our bodies
detoxify itself through excretion.
If it were true that toxins get
accumulated in our bodies for long,
we would have been in serious life
treat! Hence, instead of taking any
specific diet or drink to cleanse our
body, we must avoid food items
that increase toxin levels and affect
our kidneys and liver, drink enough
water, and exercise (as exercise
helps us to sweat more and in turn
releases toxins from our bodies).
Egg yolks contribute to high
cholesterol: Unfortunately, eggs
(especially their delicious yellow
center) have got a bad reputation.
There isn’t an established
correlation between consumption
of dietary cholesterol present in
eggs and heart diseases. As per
nutritionists and health experts,
eating an egg or two a day doesn’t
risk the heart health unless one
is suffering from heart-related
problems or allergies. In fact, an egg
is a house of almost all the essential
nutrients required for the body like
Vitamin D, minerals (iron, zinc, etc.),
healthy fats, and even omega-3.
Drink 8 glasses of water a day:
One must drink enough water
every day. However, there isn’t
any need to count the number
of glasses. The amount of water
consumption per day for a person
depends on many factors like
climate, age, diet, and health
condition. The amount of water that
an adult should consume in order
to remain hydrated is believed to be
2-3 liters a day. However, the other
fluids and water-rich food items like
fruits, vegetables, etc. and juices or
any beverages that we consume also
count in. But, if someone’s urine
is dark yellow or has a very active
lifestyle or lives in a hotter climate
must consume more water.
There are plenty of other myths
most of us are living with. Well, the
hard truth is that health science
isn’t that simple: one theory may
not work for everyone. Still, there
are hundreds of notions about food
and health believed for ages. Rather
than focusing on them without
understanding what works for our
body type and health, we must eat
balanced food, include enough fruits
and vegetables in our diet, exercise
daily, eat what is locally available
(and ignore the hype of organic
food), and stay away from processed
and junk food as much as possible.
Also, debunk all these health myths!
Its High Time We burst this Health
MAY 2019 9
SR
10. I
t has been estimated that the
Indian healthcare will reach
280 billion US$ by 2020 and
will create 40 million jobs in India
by 2030. While the Ayushman
Bharat (National Health Protection
Scheme) will alone generate
100,000 jobs, the hospital industry
in India stood at Rs 4 trillion in
FY17 and is expected to reach Rs 8.6
trillion by FY22.
But given the level of Healthcare
technological sophistication
available globally, still India in
particular and South Asian region
in general have to go a long way
in terms of becoming potential
markets for such technologies
both in terms of infrastructure and
economics. There is a certain degree
of customization and localization
required for such technologies to
be adapted to and adopted here.
SNG’s experience enables such
degree of customization and
localization of such technologies
to be adapted to and adopted
by South Asian region in general
and India in particular.
SNG is a technology driven
group – it is SNG’s endeavor and
mission to continuously scout and
bring innovation to South Asian
Healthcare space from time to time.
Pankaj Narula, Head of
Business Development
and Puneet Narula,
Project and Technical
Head spoke exclusively
to The Silicon Review.
Below is an excerpt.
Why was the company set
up, and how did you expand
your company and its
offerings over the years?
In the mid-1950s, the Indian
Healthcare space was merely a
medical supplies and consumables
market, with no or negligible
exposure to new medical and
healthcare technologies. There was
a great void. Late Mr. P.K. Narula,
the founder of SNG India, wanted
to reduce and bridge this gap and
introduce the latest technologies
from world-over to India.
How successful were your
project roll-ons? Share the
experience.
In our view, every Turnkey solution
that we have delivered over the last
65+ years has been a great learning
experience. Each execution has not
only brought us closer to execution
excellence but also closer to our
customers where we have executed
more as collaborators and partners
rather than a pure client-vendor
relationship. We are proud to say
that huge names in the healthcare
sector have patronized us
including Sir Ganga Ram, Medanta
Hospitals, Tata Trust Hospital, Tata
Medical Centres, Apollo Hospitals,
PSG Hospitals, Columbia Asia
Hospitals, Narayana Hrudalaya,
Asian Institute’s Hospitals, Lata
Mangeshkar Medical Foundation,
Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences
and Research Centre (AIMS), Kochi,
GKNMH, Sri Rama Krishna, KIMS,
Delivering World Class Healthcare Solutions:
Srishty Medical (SNG India), a Comprehensive Solutions
Provider, Is Committed To Take Healthcare Innovation to
the Next Level
“Our mission is to ensure that every
healthcare facility and institution has
the best intra-facility logistics and
healthcare solutions consequently
reduce healing time, healthcare delivery
costs, and enhance healthcare quality.”
L to R: Pankaj Narula, Head of Business Development
Puneet Narula, Project and Technical Head
11. Yashoda Hospitals, Continental
Hospitals, Medical Trust Hospitals,
Kerala etc.
Can you talk about your
products and services in
brief?
With complete in-house teams right
from Design to Project Realization,
SNG is competently placed to design
the best and efficient turnkey
ICUs, ERs, OTs, and Patient Room
Solutions right from design to
execution etc. Its turnkey solutions
include –
• AWLS [Automated Waste &
Laundry Systems]
• PTS [Pneumatic Tube Systems]
• Modular & Seamless OTs
• CMGPS [Central Medical Gas
Pipeline Systems]
• Turn Key Packages for ICUs, ERs,
Patient Rooms
How do you manage data
collection and analysis,
as it is one of the biggest
challenges healthcare
industry is facing?
SNG’s dedicated Marketing team
works day-in and day-out to ensure
that our data warehouse is updated
always. We not only maintain data
for our current customers, pipeline
customers but also our customers
who have opted for our after-sales
service in the form of AMCs and
CMCs. In fact, the biggest challenge
by far companies face in this space
is ensuring consistent service levels
and retaining client satisfaction
levels to garner repeat business and
referrals which go a long way for us
to gain market share, profitability,
and market penetration.
As there are many advances
in healthcare industry that
are very close to actionable
breakthroughs, how does
your company contribute
to the global healthcare
platform?
In addition to keeping in constant
touch and delivering customer
delight on each interaction with our
customers, SNG has time and again
introduced World Class Healthcare
Solutions from – Material Handling,
Patient Handling, Patient Care,
Pharmacy Automation, & Turnkey
Solutions.
SNG contributes to the Medical
world by not only Enhancing
Healthcare Logistics; Helping Heal
Faster & Safer; Lighting Up our
World; but also Providing Clinically
Useful Spaces.
Enhancing Healthcare Logistics–
• Pneumatic Tube Systems
• Automated Guided Vehicles
• Automated Pharmacy & Drugs
Management
• Laundry Tube Systems
• Waste Handling Systems
Helping Heal Faster & Safer–
• Ceiling Hoist Systems
• Patient Handling & Transport
Solutions
Lighting up our World–
• Medical & Surgical Lighting
Solutions
Providing Clinically Useful
Spaces–
• Ceiling & Wall IV Track Systems
• Partition & Privacy Screening
Systems
• Carts, Mobile, & Modular
Solutions
What do you feel are the
reasons behind your service
popularity?
With over 2500 historically and
450 active healthcare providers
as its customers SNG has business
spanned all across the country,
South Asia and as far as Middle East
as well. Over the years it has evolved
into South Asia’s leading Healthcare
solutions and automation group.
Delivering superior solutions,
post-implementation-services, and
ensuring a constant touch with
the market we feel are the major
reasons for our success in the region.
Meet The Visionaries Behind SNG India Group’s Meteoric Rise
Founded in 1953, SNG, a.k.a Sun Narula Group is India’s & South Asia’s leading Healthcare solutions
provider. Under the aegis of Co-founder & Chairman Mr. P.K. Narula, the group has introduced, time and
again, several advanced medical and healthcare technologies in the region in the areas of fibre optics, lighting
solutions, modular technologies, diagnostic technologies, surgical technologies and more.
Currently the Group is headed by Pankaj Narula, Managing Director & Head Business Development and Puneet
Narula, Jt. Managing Director & Head Projects and Technical. Both the Narula brothers have inherited the key
traits from P K Narula – “Customer is prime and over trading is the biggest enemy of the business”. Pankaj is a
business graduate from USA, while Puneet is a Commerce graduate with honours from Delhi. Both the brothers
have been regularly trained in various healthcare technologies and solutions from all over the world, and
cumulatively have a wide & vast experience in the healthcare technologies space of over 60 years.
Website: www.sngindia.org
Contact Number - 9810007700
SR
13. I
ndia has never been behind
in the healthcare sector. The
tech developed by Indian
companies does aid many
in the country. Both medical
practitioners and patients benefit
from the tech developed here. But
the major problem that is seen in
the Healthcare industry is the
providers’ count. Even though
the health sector employs over five
million people in India it still has a
low density of health professionals.
Currently, the figure for the
country is lower than Brazil, United
Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and
China, according to a World Health
Organization (WHO) database. WHO
being one such entity that knows
in and out of healthcare, gives
such a statement makes it evident
that we still are something wrong.
This workforce statistic has surely
made the country think. The critical
shortage of healthcare providers
needs to be focused on and with
results from the election, we might
see some changes in various regions.
Many regions like Rajasthan, Bihar,
Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand are
the ones that are being hit the most.
While, other states such as Gujarat,
Delhi, Punjab, and Kerala compare
favorably, it is still wise not to
neglect these regions. Surely with
the new government in place along
with tech companies and medical
practitioners we might see an
improvement.
Many healthcare professionals have
put forth their opinions and ideas.
One such person is Srinath Reddy,
who is the president of the Public
Health Foundation of India. He says
that Southeast Asia needs a 50%
increase in healthcare manpower to
achieve universal health coverage
by 2030. India faces the problem
of acute shortages and inequitable
distributions of skilled health
workers as have many other low-
and middle-income countries.
Srinath has surly expressed what he
feels has to be improved. Along with
him, many others feel the same and
agree to the problems as mentioned
above. This gives us enough reasons
to incorporate new courses. We
should start designing courses for
different categories of non-physician
care providers to avoid a shortage
of healthcare providers. To have
better innovations we need to
change the structure in which we
see a person’s caliber. Competencies
need to be an important factor here
and not just qualification. We need
to be flexible in taking in people
who want to be in this sector. The
country has always been in search
of the topmost ranked individual
or an individual with great success
throughout his or her career. While
others are yet to find themselves are
never given the right platform and
end up on a different vertical.
Many statistics were displayed
about the healthcare system in the
country. In the past, it showed that
many hospitals lacked the number
of doctor count, along with the
count of nurses and ward boys. It
is obvious that becoming a medical
professional is a difficult task. Not
many can achieve it in the country.
But the lack of human values tagged
with a business approach within
the medical professionals seems
to be the drawback. Initially, the
path selected by an individual
right after schooling somewhere
deviates when these students end
up worrying about the fee structure,
rankings, and other factors. The
image created within the healthcare
sector is shown negatively within
the country.
Coming to the eight categories of the
healthcare sector which is obviously
doctors who are in to allopathic,
alternative medicine and other
verticals; public health professionals
who are both in medical and
non-medical; dentists; nursing
and midwifery professionals;
paramedical workers who are allied
health professionals; pharmacists;
grass-roots workers in other words
the frontline workers; and support
staff. These are the eight main
professionals of the healthcare
sector whose number needs to
increase. As mentioned above
the count of doctors is certainly
something to improve on along
with nurses, paramedics, grass
root workers, and mainly support
staff. Since support staffs do play
a key role in handling a situation
in the country. In any firm which
is big or small, technical or non-
technical has to remember that it
is the smaller person who plays a
key role. The organization needs to
work on that since doctors can’t be
everywhere and making sure those
people working for the hospital
or any medical entities need to be
aware of how things work. Thus,
they can handle any situation until
the main person comes in to aid
the patient. All in all, tech is not
the only thing that needs to be
improved. Knowledge about the
healthcare system has to be given
to everyone to have a firm grip over
the healthcare system.
World Health
Organization
says India
has a
Shortage of
Healthcare
Providers:
Here is the
Solution
MAY 2019 13
SR
14. MAY 201914
N
ephroPlus is India’s largest
dialysis center network. Each
NephroPlus center is a one-
stop shop for all of a dialysis guest’s
needs. With a strong commitment to
quality, NephroPlus is spearheading
a change in the way dialysis is
done in India. One of the main
goals at NephroPlus is to enable
dialysis guests to lead lives as close
to normal as possible. It strives
to ensure that dialysis sessions
remain a small part of a guest’s life.
It encourages them to do things
everyone does – work, travel, and
have fun.
Services
Hemodialysis: Hemodialysis
at NephroPlus can be a refreshing
change from the dull, boring, and
often torturous experience that
patients get at a regular center
or hospital. NephroPlus makes
their Hemodialysis session totally
safe and much less frustrating.
• Best-in-breed Infrastructure:
Each center of NephroPlus has
state-of-the-art machines from
world leaders in Hemodialysis.
It uses only brand new
machines. Its Reverse Osmosis
plants are also from the best
manufacturers in the market.
All its dialysis consumables are
also of the highest quality. All
this is to ensure that the dialysis
session is entirely trouble-free
and of the highest possible
quality.
• Team of Experts: Hemodialysis
sessions need close monitoring.
Complications can arise
during a session that needs to
be handled immediately and
deftly. The team that looks after
patients during their dialysis
session at NephroPlus is fully
certified in Hemodialysis and
has years of experience in
handling such situations.
• The highest quality: All
NephroPlus centers follow “The
NephroPlus Way” which is a set
of protocols, which encompass
all aspects of dialysis right from
starting and closing a dialysis
session to what Investigations
should be done regularly to
the maintenance regimens for
dialysis and water treatment
equipment. It firmly believes
that the only way quality can be
maintained in dialysis centers
is through standardization and
implementation of protocols.
Home Dialysis: Unfortunately,
home hemodialysis has not caught
on too much in India and there
are only a handful of people doing
hemodialysis at home. However,
it is definitely possible and offers
a lot of benefits over dialyzing at
a hospital or a center. One major
benefit of dialyzing at home is that
patients can dialyze more frequently
with ease. Research shows that
Providing Best-in-Class
Dialysis Services: NephroPlus
Vikram Vuppala, Founder & CEO
15. MAY 2019 15
hemodialysis, when done more
frequently, over longer durations
and more gently (at low pump
speeds and ultrafiltration rates) is
much better for the body overall in
terms of both short term and long
term outcomes.
It is hardly practical to go to a
hospital or center every day of the
week for long hours. This is much
easier when done at home. This
modality, though closest to ideal,
may not be suited to every patient.
Hence, it is extremely important,
however, to get a doctor’s consent
before switching to hemodialysis.
Peritoneal Dialysis: Peritoneal
Dialysis is a great treatment
modality, especially for those who
want to get treated at home and
can take good care of themselves.
NephroPlus has tied up with the
market leaders in Peritoneal Dialysis
to offer world-class, end-to-end
Peritoneal Dialysis Services for its
patients. It realizes that there is
no one-size-fits-all approach to
PD and it will customize the best
possible treatment accordingly.
Peritoneal Dialysis exchanges are
usually done by patients themselves.
Patient training becomes very
important in this therapy.
NephroPlus has trained, certified
clinical coordinators who teach
patients how to do their exchanges
and exit site dressings and to use
aseptic techniques and proper hand-
washing method to ensure that they
get long years of services from their
peritoneal cavities.
Meet the Leader
Vikram Vuppala, Founder
& CEO: Vikram is a seasoned
healthcare strategy consultant with
over 12 years of global healthcare
industry experience. His passion to
redefine healthcare delivery in India
prompted him to found NephroPlus,
a chain of premium dialysis centers.
He has helped hospitals, dialysis
centers, pharmacy benefit
managers, healthcare
distributors, consumer health,
and pharmaceutical clients on
various strategic issues such as
business development, growth
strategy, operational improvement,
portfolio rationalization,
redefining customer strategies,
clinical trial strategy, and M&A.
Prior to founding NephroPlus,
Vikram was a strategy consultant
at McKinsey & Company in their
New Jersey office. He also founded
an internal management consulting
group at Abbott Laboratories
helping key management on
various strategic and sales force
management issues. Prior to that,
Vikram worked for two years as a
business analyst at ZS Associates.
Vikram did his Bachelors in
Chemical Engineering from IIT-
Kharagpur, Masters in Computer
Science from University of Illinois,
and a full-time MBA from the
University of Chicago, Booth School
of Business.
Our mission is to provide quality
dialysis at affordable prices by
using standardized protocols,
continuous training, and focused
innovation.”
“
SR
16. A
t the Future Healthcare
event that happens annually
in the UK, over 350 brands
participated and showcased their
innovation in the healthcare space.
The international event witnessed
many new products brought forth
by many healthcare professionals
and innovators. These products
have the potential to transform the
way in which healthcare services
are delivered and monitored. Below
mentioned are some of the products
that found an important place
among others.
Diagnosing Dementia in
Its Early Phases
Dementia causes a significant
number of deaths among patients.
A very common form of dementia
found in people is the Alzheimer’s
disease which is expected to
increase the number of deaths
as the population’s average age
slowly rises. What’s challenging
over here is it is very tough to
diagnose dementia in its early
phases. However, the Oxford Brain
Diagnostics have a theory and belief
that the condition can be detected
before symptoms become apparent
with the help of their technology.
The method that Oxford Brain
Diagnostics found out is Cortical
Disarray Measurement (CDM).
With this technique, scientists gain
an advantage of gathering extra
details from existing MRI scans
which enables them to find out
any changes in the microanatomy
of the brain. CEO of Oxford Brain
Diagnostics, Dr. Steven Chance said
that the CDM is capable of extracting
data about the microscopic
structure of the brain’s gray matter.
It works by applying a unique
analysis to the regular form of
MRI scan that shows the damage
occurred at the cerebral cortex in
the early stages.
The Blockchain
Approach for Health
Data Sharing
Over the years, healthcare industry
has taken a new approach to patient
care involving a deeper involvement
of the patient. To be very specific,
discussions regarding how doctors
and professionals store patient data
and share them has been going on
since quite a while.
Medicalchain is one such firm that
uses blockchain technology to
securely store health and medical
records. With the aim to transform
the way people access their medical
records, Medicalchain has designed
a process that can help patients
view and share their data with
clinicians when necessary. The data
interactions are then recorded in an
auditable, secure and transparent
way on the distributed ledger
of the firm. In the near future,
Medicalchain hopes to make its
services accessible to a larger public
group.
Mobile-Powered
Effective Cancer
Screening
Statistics show that, around 570,000
cases of cervical cancer were
reported in 2018 in the world out
of which 90 percent of the deaths
occurred in low and middle income
societies. In order to address this
issue, MobileODT has come up
with a battery-powered, hand-held
colposcope which can take high-
quality images of the cervix. The
colposcope or EVA System could
be used for better screening and
early invention so that the mortality
rate could be significantly reduced.
The firm has developed a ML
algorithm called AVE (Automatic
Visual Evaluation) by working in
collaboration with the National
Cancer Institute which can deliver
an accurate diagnosis in a few
minutes. The major benefit that this
Fascinating Innovations
from the Future Healthcare
Event 2019
17. system offers is that it can be used
even in the absence of any expert
healthcare provider.
Treating Medical
Conditions of Loneliness
with Robots
Loneliness is now finding
recognition as a risk factor for
many medical conditions. It is a real
medical issue which can also lead
to cardiovascular diseases. Service
Robotics Limited wishes to tackle
this condition with urgency with
Genie Connect, a friendly looking
miniature robot. Genie Connect
is termed as a companion robot
because it has intuitive, friendly
and voice-enabled features to offer
connectivity and support to older
adults.
The robot responds to commands
much like any other virtual
assistant, but it has several bespoke
customizable features. It can set
up video chats with healthcare
professionals as well as with family
members and also reminds the user
to take medications on time and
attend appointments.
Breathe Better and Sleep
Better
The Future Healthcare event
also witnessed a very unusual
device with the name, SoeMac.Its
developers claim that the device
can create energized oxygen which
can help a body in its restoration
process in the night while at sleep.
The device is small and rectangular
in shape and gently whirrs helping
people around it breathe better
and sleep better. The mechanism in
it works by pulling in air and then
using it to produce a bio-usable
form of energized oxygen known as
Singlet Oxygen Energy or SOE. The
SOE boosts up the effectiveness of
the body’s detoxification and other
bodily repair functions.
At this point, it is very important
to note that none of these claims
are being backed up by any clinical
trials. However, studies to prove the
claims are not very far in the future.
SoeMac’s creators are already in
the plans to do that hoping that
their innovation would relieve
patients of their chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease. Last but not the
least, the Future Healthcare event
of 2019 is a fascinating event for
many researchers and healthcare
professionals from across the globe,
and it will always pave the way for
them to offer their cutting edge
medical innovations.
SR
19. A
s healthcare organisations
witness the on-going
explosion of medical
applications, they are
under the pressure to work and
plan on how they will develop
and deploy digital tools. This is
where healthcare PaaS applications
can offer a huge advantage by
giving entities a reliable and
secure platform where compliant
applications can be developed.
CliniVantage Healthcare
Technologies Inc. takes care of that
with its comprehensive healthcare
platform that delivers various
PaaS-based healthcare solutions
for clinical, non-clinical and
administrative services.
Known as Pro.Care, the platform
is an inclusion of various verticals
like EMR, HIS, OTIMS, PMS, FA,
PACS (Imaging), HR and Payroll
and BI (Decision Support) and
MyLife (Patient care application)
that is built on the pillars of
interoperability (stakeholders),
artificial intelligence (technology),
patient centricity (outcomes) and
security (consent). Designed to
propel all partner organizations into
the next stage of care, i.e. Healthcare
X.0, the platform is a one stop
shop for healthcare solutions that
connects all the healthcare players
on a single integrated platform
making CliniVantage stand out from
the rest in the domain.
The cloud-based digital healthcare
services improves care delivery
management and patient experience
from grounds up approach,
collaborating with hundreds of
thousands of providers and creating
a top-down opportunity to unify
multiple innovators for developing
new innovations on this very same
platform, a very different strategy
from the likes of Apple, Google and
Amazon.
In conversation with
the thought leaders,
Dr. Abhay Chopda,
Dinesh Samudra, and
Nilesh Jain
How is your company
positioned in the current
market scenario?
Our PaaS/SaaS solutions enables
doctors, hospitals and various
healthcare stakeholders to perform
their functions using internet of
applications, to record, diagnose
and deliver care using all possible
technologies - “One Patient, One
Record”. This includes software,
hardware and platforms for care
management, including enabling
telemedicine via video. We are also
focusing on AI-powered verticals,
like AI chatbot that will analyse
a patient’s condition against a
database of symptoms, while
incorporating the patient’s own
medical history and responses to
the chatbot’s questions.
CliniVantage HealthHuddle allows
users to find in-network health care
providers. Our Pro.Care platform
and MyLife mobile application lets
patients, doctors, and hospitals
manage care collaborative, combine
this with connected devices for
remote patient health management,
with AI and ML monitoring over the
vitals or predefined stats.
Our next wave of expansion
comes from Primary Health
Centres, branded as CliniQ to
establish primary care that is more
affordable, accessible and offers
an end-to-end health- monitoring
platform allowing the users to
collect, store, analyze and share
their medical summary with the
entire healthcare network. CliniQ
has the ability to provide the latest
C O V E R S T O R Y
Simplifying Healthcare Innovations
Clinivantage Healthcare Technologies
Seeks To Transform the Future with Its
PaaS/SaaS Based Mobile Applications
and Services
20. technology, clinical and non-clinical
capabilities for new doctors and
up-skilled trained medical staff to
provide insights and personalized
health to patients based on their
medical profile.
What are the pain points of
the industry addressed by
the company?
Our focus is to empower patients
every day. The need for customer-
centric model is increasingly
growing in the healthcare industry,
and CliniVantage strives to make
their treatment experience
seamless, convenient and
transparent.
Appointment Scheduling is the
first challenge faced by patients.
The level of
inconvenience
rises further in
case they are
seeing multiple
consultants.
It becomes
even more
difficult to keep
track of all the
appointments.
By using our
MyLife app,
patients can
book an appointment at their
convenient time. Moreover, the app
can also send reminders on their
appointments so that there is no
risk of losing track.
The pain grows further when
it comes to registering for the
appointment. In large healthcare
centres, it is a tedious task for the
patients to check in and find the
right department for consulting.
What makes it harder is the
inability and impatience of the
medical staff to attend to the needs
and preferences of individual
patients, given the limited number
of professionals available to cater
to all patients. Long waiting time
further augments the patients’ woes.
Through our solution, the providers
can inform the patients about
facilities, medical specialists, etc.
and update them on waiting time,
treatment information and costs.
Understanding the complete
medical history of the patient
becomes easy so that there is no
need of repeating the information.
This would help the doctors get
more face time with patients
and determine the right tests
and prescriptions. As the entire
healthcare providers are integrated
on a single platform, the doctor
can update the diagnostic centres
with patient information and
recommended tests. This helps the
centres make all the preparations
beforehand and update the patients
on waiting time, tests results and
diagnosis. The portal can also help
the pharmacists in a similar manner
and they can keep the prescribed
medication ready, thus cutting down
on waiting time.
Another pain point for patient
is monitoring health in recovery
phase. They lack the technical
expertise to monitor their health
and recovery daily, and therefore
they struggle with following the
prescribed medication and advised
exercises. By using our sensors IoT
devices and MyLife, doctors can get
updates on patients’ test reports
“By placing the
patient at the focal
point, CliniVantage
brings speed,
simplicity,
transparency and
efficacy to patient
care.”
21. MAY 2019 21
and monitor their health recovery.
The patient can also use the apps
to reach the support team, get
medication reminders and notify
emergency contact if needed.
While there are many problems
and inefficiencies in the health
industry that we are trying to
address, the biggest of them seems
to stem from data: the portability
and transmissibility of patient data.
Information often gets lost or is in
a useless form (e.g. filed on paper,
illegible). Data in health care can
be complicated and proprietary.
There is massive privacy, regulatory,
and security issues in medical
data. There are currently no
laws about data sharing in the
healthcare industry. This means
large healthcare institutes are not
sharing data and there is still a
competitive threat to share data.
Hence, by empowering patients,
health care providers will become
more responsive to their needs
and preferences and deliver better
quality care.
What are the differentiating
factors that set your
company apart from its
competitors?
CliniVantage Platform as a Service,
the entire Pro.Care platform, has
various verticals like EMR, HIS,
OTIMS, PMS, FA, PACS (Imaging),
HR and Payroll and BI (Decision
Support) and MyLife (Patient care
application) is on a single cloud
hosted solution. This makes it very
easy for hospitals and doctors to
train, deploy and adopt Clinivantage
solution. Our Platform has the
ability to integrate across various
medical hardware devices, and
also allow hospitals and doctors
to enable extended and home
care using AI/ML and remote care
devices.
One of our key differentiators is
our focus on patient outcomes. We
are developing cognitive clinical
Knowing The Team behind CliniVantage’s Meteoric Rise
Dr. Abhay Chopda, Co-founder
Abhay is a renowned Consultant Surgeon, a passionate Healthcare
Entrepreneur & an active Investor with companies transforming
healthcare. With a global experience spanning over 26 years in
Medicine, Healthcare and Health-Tech, Dr. Abhay is an alumnus of the
University of London – MMedsci (Surg Sci) and was an integral part of
the “Ready Now” program at NHS Leadership Academy.
Dinesh Samudra, Co-founder
Dinesh Samudra truly believes in transforming the way care is
delivered by digitizing healthcare solutions. Highly driven by his
passion, he embarked on a journey to develop and design healthcare
solutions that would improve care management by providing an
innovative and patient-centric SaaS-based platform for better
collaboration between healthcare providers and consumers.
Nilesh Jain, Co-founder
An Alumni of Carnegie Mellon University, Nilesh Jain, is a serial
entrepreneur and a strategy advisor for emerging entrepreneurs
and start-ups. He has over 20+ years of entrepreneurial experience
and holds a passion for mentoring start-ups to grow exponentially
on a global scale. He has spent nearly 2 decades in Silicon Valley as a
technopreneur with a proven track record of building and managing
companies, revenue centres and developing strategies to build a
strong foundation for all his successful ventures.
Nilesh’s leadership experience spans over an array of sectors including
technology, healthcare, implant manufacturing, engineering, software
products and supply chain. Apart from being an angel investor, he has
spearheaded more than 5 companies as a founding team member.
Dr. Abhay Chopda
Co-founder
Nilesh Jain
Co-founder
Dinesh Samudra
Co-founder
22. solutions leveraging AI an ML
using massive structured data.
We go beyond simply predicting
risk, to patient-specific effective
interventions and assurance of
successful outcomes. CliniVantage
provides complete end to end
solutions from platform, devices,
chronic care program enablement.
How do your products and
services benefit your clients?
Consumer Application: MyLife -
Mobile App: Patient-centric secure,
mobile application for consumers to
manage their healthcare data, care
provider ecosystem & use advanced
features like telemedicine, remote
chronic care & connect IoT devices
to proactively manage wellness.
Healthcare Platform: ProCare:
Connected ecosystem for a 2000
bed hospital, clinic and a doctor
to manage all clinical and non-
clinical transactions. ProCare is
a complete hosted ERP system
to manage your business with
connected devices and consumers
for advanced & better patient care.
DoT Medical Devices: Connected
devices like DoT, Health ATM, Foetal
monitors, ECG, Blood Glucose, &
advanced medical devices to MyLife
and ProCare. They provide 24x7
monitoring of health vitals across
the entire care ecosystem and a
connected eco system for extended
care by doctors and hospitals.
For Doctors, Clinics and Hospitals:
• Improve your revenue and
efficiency
• Effective Practice management
tool
• Patient engagement tool via
MyLife
• 24/7 access to your
appointments improving your
revenue
• Remote care access tool to
access real time patient data
• Access to extremely Innovative
Chronic Care management
programmes
• Access to global patients via
telehealth
How has the journey of the
company been so far?
CliniVantage began its journey
long time ago, before its inception.
Abhay, Nilesh and Dinesh had a
vision for an open PaaS (Platform
as a Service) that integrates across
all IoA (applications) and DoT
- (Doctor of Things - connected
devices). Hence, they embarked on
a journey not knowing how this
will shape up. With their own set
of IoA and DoT, they began creating
a customer-centric healthcare
story with a clear aim to deliver
wellness 24x7, 365 days a year.
In early 2017, the founders
announced that they were building
a PaaS product that aimed to
democratise innovation in
healthcare by transformation of
ideas into products and services.
The start-up that started as project
began to shape up in reality.
Eventually, they got their first
customer who was willing to be a
part of their MVP product. It was a
bit of a challenge, but the founding
team took it up and decided to
build a product ready solution
instead of an MVP. With our
experience, domain knowledge
and eagerness to be the best,
we were successful in doing that.
A few months later, we had a
small fanfare and a handful of
customers. In less than a year, we
reached that magical bootstrap
nirvana of being across 6 countries,
3 major global partnerships with
zero external funding and a road to
become profitable in 2018.
CliniVantage is poised to be the
game changer in Global healthcare
landscape. Standing at the
crossroads of multiple technologies
like cloud, mobile, medical and
social, CliniVantage spearheads the
practice of digital medicine.
Where do you see your
company in a few years from
now?
A decade from now, we aim to
achieve:
• More than a billion people who
will have the mobility of their
health records
• Efficient, smart and
standardised care delivery
which will focus on wellness
with connected sensors (IoT),
practitioners, providers, payers
• More personalised AI-based
care from informatics which
will be driven from genomics,
pharmacology, and personal
behaviour
We’re essentially talking about
a 24-hour connection between
the patient, and those monitoring
them. Chronic patients have to
live with the condition 24/7, so
the care should reflect that.
C O V E R S T O R Y
SR
23.
24. A
ccidents and diseases can
strike anyone at any time,
without warning. Even if
the patient has access to effective
healthcare, some situations may
render the patient disabled. Such
disabilities may be the result
of damaged limbs, diminished
organ functionality, damaged
nerves, and so on. Most of the
treatments currently available can
only help to inhibit any further
damage or deterioration, but
cannot reverse them. But a bold
new form of treatment promises
not only to reverse any damages
but also to restore the body part
to full functionality. The medical
technology is called Tissue
Nanotransfection (TNT) and it
was developed by scientists at
the Ohio State Medical University
Wexner Medical Centre and Ohio
State’s College of Engineering.
This technology can develop cells
of any desired type to be used
for regenerative treatments that
repair damaged tissues or even
restore the functions of damaged
organs, grow blood vessels and
nerve endings.
What’s interesting is that this
technique is also applicable for
old people who suffer all the usual
problems related to advanced age.
The treatment works by
repurposing skin cells into acting
as cells of any desired body part,
and also to mimic the functions of
those body parts and those may
include blood vessels, nerves or
even entire organs. The technique
has been tried on pigs as well as
mice and the results have been
nothing but spectacular. The
team of scientists managed to
reprogram skin cells into vascular
cells in heavily injured legs of
the animals. In a matter of one
week, it was observed that a fresh
set of blood vessels had started
growing in the leg, bringing
much-needed blood supply. By the
second week, the blood vessels
were fully functioning and the
leg had started to heal, no longer
requiring amputation. Thus,
Tissue Nanotransfection had
successfully healed animals by
stimulating the growth of blood
vessels and saving an injured leg.
Scientists Make a Crucial
Breakthrough in Regenerative
Medicine
MAY 201924
25. All of that was achieved through
a brilliant collaboration of
expertise in medical engineering
and nanotechnology. The
reprogramming of cells for a
different cause was achieved
by the team’s flagship nanochip
technology. The best part about
this amazing breakthrough is that
it relies almost entirely on the
body’s own capacity for healing
and recovery, without the use
of invasive methods or any type
of surgical implants. And that
means lesser recovery period
and little requirement for post-
surgical physical therapy. The
results of this groundbreaking
application of nanotechnology
in regenerative medicine have
been published in the journal
Nature Nanotechnology. However,
we cannot start celebrating
immediately. The FDA (Food and
Drug Administration) has to give
its approval and that usually takes
years.
The reason that newer medical
technologies take this long to get
an approval is the battery tests
and subsequent results that need
to be assessed over a long period.
The long-term effects of certain
treatments may not be visible
for a few years and safety and
feasibility issues regarding any
new forms of treatments need to
be thoroughly analyzed for any
hidden dangers that they may
pose. But all seems to be well
for the regenerative procedure
pioneered by the team at the Ohio
State Medical University.
Developments in the field of
regenerative medicine could prove
to be a lease of life for numerous
victims of accidents and other
debilitating diseases who have lost
limbs or other bodily functions.
Such incidents are life changing
and force the patients to change
their lifestyle, often taking a
heavy toll both emotionally and
financially. In countries without
universal basic healthcare,
surgeries and prolonged
physical therapies often end up
forcing families on the verge of
bankruptcy or extreme financial
hardship.
They say that innovation drives
progress. It cannot be truer
for technology and medicine.
The last half century has seen
technology and medicine
converge continuously to result
in treatments and cures that
are sophisticated enough to be
featured in a Hollywood science
fiction blockbuster. Advances in
regenerative medicine such as
Tissue Nanofection can go a long
way in alleviating pain and easing
the toll extracted on victims.
Venture capitalists continue to
pour vast amounts of money
into ambitious startups that are
working hard to advance the
frontiers of medical technology
by innovating numerous
methods of treatments as well
as diagnosis. A future where
mankind is free from debilitating
diseases suddenly looks clearer.
MAY 2019 25
SR
26. MAY 201926
I
n recent years, there has been a
marked shift in the health burden
of India. Non-communicable
diseases have seen a rise in
incidence, morbidity and mortality.
In the year 2014, there were an
estimated 64.1 million cases on
non-communicable diseases in India
and this number is regularly on
the rise. With disease management
riddled with several challenges,
the problems in India include early
onset, late diagnosis, difficulties in
treatment and uncertain outcomes.
CIPHER Healthcare aims to address
these problems. In 2014, it launched
the first-of-its-kind pan India
Cancer Helpline that provides
patients with all the resources
required to understand, be aware,
seek treatment and manage cancer
better.
The company understands that
sustainable disease management
systems could only be achieved
successfully if it actively works on
both the patient and the healthcare
provider side. So, along with
Cancer Helpline, the firm offers a
combination of support services,
which are customisable for
patients and healthcare providers.
Extending
Compassionate Patient
Care
Non-communicable diseases
involve several aspects of disease
management in and out of hospitals.
For the last 5 years, CIPHER has
been engaged in helping patients
navigate these healthcare systems
in a way that has improved the
outcomes of their treatment and
recovery.
Patient Lifecycle
Management
The firm helps patients through
the treatment journey. Non-
communicable disease treatment
and management are often long
drawn and patients and caregivers
find it a daunting process. Often care
is divided into stages; those spent
at the hospital and those spent at
home. While there is competent
care provided at hospitals, patients
and caregivers struggle to provide
the same quality of care at home.
This is where CIPHER steps in. It
helps patients transition through
these tough stages by providing
disease management services like
coaching, nursing, counselling,
physiotherapy, nutrition etc. at the
comfort of the patient’s own home.
These services are complementary
to the treatment being received and
improve treatment and recovery
outcomes. CIPHER is available by
your side through the course of your
diagnosis and treatment and helps
you and your family manage the
tough period of treatment better.
Help, Just a Phone Call Away
The Indian healthcare system is
fragmented and patients often
find it tough to navigate through it.
CIPHER toll-free helpline service is
directed towards convenience and
availability for patients. It helps
patients looking for answers related
to diagnosis, treatment, recovery
and support. In a nutshell, the firm
makes patients aware and offer
patients every support needed
to understand and manage their
disease.
The company’s first foray into
helpline services started with the
pan-India Cancer Helpline, where
it answers all questions related
to cancer – prevention, diagnosis,
treatment and after. With a toll-
free helpline call service, email,
chat and Facebook, the company
connect patients to resources such
as hospitals, doctors, diagnostic
centres, counsellingcentres,
financial aid groups, knowledge
resources and palliative care
centres. On average, the firm assists
50-100 patients every day.
For Healthcare
Providers: Helping You
Connect Better with Your
Patients
Hospitals often find it difficult
to be closely in touch with
patients and families owing to
operational difficulties and priority
emergencies. While it could be
justified given the healthcare
scenario in India, the connection
Addressing Disease Management
Diseases - CIPHER Healthcare
Sonali Srungaram, MD
27. MAY 2019 27
between a hospital and
patient grows if they are
offered personalized
support. Studies have
shown that empathetic
patient care leads to better
treatment outcomes and
effective communication
is associated with higher
patient satisfaction.
CIPHER can help you do
that. Establishing a patient
contact centre brings you
closer to your present
and prospective patients.
Apart from providing
patient counselling and
support, the firm will also
be involved in patient
lifecycle management,
service scoring and
feedback and manage your
hospital’s helpline service.
Outreach and
Training: Creating
Programmes to
Engage People
Outreach programmes
have now become
an integral part of a
hospital’s responsibility
since it contributes to
improving the overall
wellbeing of patients
and the community. Such
programmes are far more
imperative for non-
communicable diseases.
With innovative outreach
programmes, hospitals
have improved goodwill
and better connection
with patients.
CIPHER has been involved
in the space of outreach
programmes and has
actively worked with
the community for the
prevention and screening
of non-communicable
diseases. It recommends
and helps hospitals create
a customized programme
based on their needs and
train appropriate staff
for implementing such
outreach programmes.
Leading From
the Front – The
Managing Director
Sonali Srungaram |
Managing Director
After spending 12 years at
Accenture managing large
transformational projects
across Asia-Pacific, India
and the UK, Sonali decided
to dedicate her time to
supporting the cause
of non-communicable
disease related prevention,
detection and treatment.
CIPHER Healthcare was
born as a result of this
dedication with an aim to
serve all affected Indians.
“Our vision is
to reduce non-
communicable
disease
mortality by
providing
affected
Indians with
personalized
integrative
care through
our first-of-its-
kind Cancer
Helpline
and other
supportive
services.”
in Non-Communicable
SR
28. P
renetics empowers individuals
with valuable health
information. With a simple
saliva sample, individuals can
discover how their genes affect
their diet, drug response, disease,
and cancer risk. This information
enables people to make health
a choice, by living healthier and
proactively preventing diseases.
DNA SEQUENCING
TECHNOLOGY
Prenetics understands trust and
accuracy is very important. So it
owns and operates its own DNA
laboratory with international
quality standards and effective
protocols in place for handling
samples and DNA test processes.
The firm has had external validation
completed by the Core Facilities
Genome Sequencing Laboratory
(CFGSL), with proven genotyping
accuracy of 99.9%.
• Prenetics uses state-of-the-art
DNA detection technologies to
test each sample
• The quality of the samples are
checked frequently as they
move through the process of
analysis
• DNA is extracted from cells
in the saliva to be processed
through a genotyping chip,
which is a highly reliable
method of DNA analysis
• It uses validated science to
develop reports with accurate
and up-to-date information
• The information and opinions
of the company’s experts are
provided based on established
scientific and medical research
• External Quality Assurance
Programs: CAP, WHO, QCMD
NUTRIGENOMICS
Nutrigenomics is the study of
nutrition and genetics which
helps the company to discover the
different ways that individuals
respond to food based on their
genetic make-up. While all humans
are genetically very similar, we all
have slight differences in our genetic
profile which set us apart from
other people. These tiny variations
influence the effect that nutrients
have on our bodies and how we
metabolize the food that we eat.
Personalized nutrition hinges on
this two-way relationship between
food and our genes. On the one
hand, the foods we eat can affect
the way our genes are expressed.
On the other, our genes are able to
influence how our bodies respond to
these foods.
With the advances in nutrigenomics,
tailored diets can be developed
which complement a person’s
unique genetic profile. Not only
will this optimize the health of the
individual, but it may also work on a
larger scale to help prevent society-
wide diseases such as obesity, type 2
diabetes, cardiovascular disease and
cancer.
Pharmacogenomics
Pharmacogenomics is the
combination of pharmacology (the
science of drugs) and genomics (the
study of genes), which provides
information about how your genetic
profile affects your response to
drugs. Pharmacogenomics could
help prevent potential adverse
reactions to drugs, which could
range from wasted time and money
to life-threatening events. There are
a number of variations in your gene
that influence the way you respond
to drugs.
Most of these variations have to do
with enzymes that metabolize one
or more drugs. Some variations
could indicate a strong chance that
a particular medication will result
in toxicity, while other variations
could mean the effectiveness of a
drug is vastly reduced. Choosing
the right drug and dose based on
genetic screening results could
lead to significant improvements in
treatment results.
Inherited Cancer Screen
Hereditary cancer is any cancer that
is caused by a gene mutation. Cancer
genetic screening assesses the
likelihood of you developing certain
hereditary cancers in your lifetime
by analyzing specific changes
(or mutations) in your genes.
Only cancers for which genetic
associations have been widely
accepted by the global medical and
research community are included in
this test.
No genetic screening test can tell
you with certainty that you will or
will not develop certain cancers.
However, understanding your risk
profile can help you begin to take
steps to lower risk through lifestyle
changes, screening and other
options as recommended by your
healthcare provider.
Family Planning Screen
Explained
You and/or your partner may
be carriers of genetic conditions
without knowing about it. If both
of you are carriers for a certain
The Leading Genetic Testing and Digital Health Company – Prenetics
Health Reimagined
29. condition, there is a 25% chance that
your baby could develop a condition.
Some of these conditions have early
treatment options, while others may
require life-long care.
Based on your risk profile, Prenetics
provides specific recommendations
to help parents think about how and
when to take measures to maximize
the health of their expanding family.
Knowing your risk profile before
or early in pregnancy allows you to
consider your options with time to
make choices together with your
healthcare provider.
Introducing the Leader
Danny Yeung | CEO
Danny is the Chief Executive
Officer of Prenetics Group and sets
business strategies and vision. Prior
to Prenetics, Danny led multiple
investments in DNA Genetic testing
companies as Founding Partner/
Investor at SXE Ventures. Previously,
Danny founded uBuyiBuy in 2010,
which was subsequently acquired
by Groupon. Prior to Danny leaving
Groupon in early 2014, Danny served
as CEO of Groupon East Asia, having
scaled the business to a size of over
USD $130m annually, overseeing
a staff of 350 and being highly
profitable. Danny’s entrepreneurial
journey started at the age of 25
when he ventured into franchising
Hong Kong’s award-winning dessert
chain Hui Lau Shan into the USA.
After exiting Hui Lau Shan, Danny
successfully ventured into hospitality
furniture and executed multi-million
dollar projects with MGM City Center,
City of Dreams Macau and Venetian.
Danny is currently a Founding Partner
at SXE Ventures, Board Member at
Parabase Genomics, Limited Partner
and Mentor for 500 Startups. Danny
received his BS in MIS from the
University of San Francisco. Danny’s
life motto is “Play Hard, Work Harder”.
“We make smarter choices about your
health, family and future.”
Danny Yeung, CEO
SR
30. B
y the year 2030 India will
become the 3rd largest
economy according to
reports. We will surely see some
amazing changes happening
in the market. But for now, the
strong economic growth has made
commensurate progress in other
verticals. Healthcare is one among
those vertical. The improvements
in this field such as infrastructure,
outcomes, and expenditure haven’t
yet kept the pace with economic
growth. The poor quality of the
healthcare department is causing
India to lag in the international
market. This, however, is being
targeted by many startups than
the government. Although the
government does implement
its time on the development of
Healthcare, it is yet to make any
difference in the country. But
visionary government schemes
like the Ayushmaan Bharat might
change the way healthcare structure
works. Various sectors can change
the structure of healthcare. One of
those sectors is the MedTech sector.
The MedTech Sector
This is a sector that plays a pivotal
role in the transformation of
healthcare. However, the market
standards for MedTech in India is
somewhere around Rs.70,000 crores
which is equal to 10 billion USD. But,
the market is said to have a growth
of 15-20% annually, which means
we can expect the market standards
to go up. It might be somewhere
around Rs.175, 000 crores (25
billion USD) by the year 2025.
But what exactly is MedTech? Well,
it is a mixture of healthcare and
tech. Products related to Medtech
are CT machines, MRI, syringes,
surgical tools, robotic support and
more. Around 100,000 techs are
seen in the MedTech sector. Many
professionals in the healthcare
industry who are involved in the
diagnosis, life support, monitoring
and more are currently dependent
on the MedTech sector.
This has been observed by many
startups and hence we now see
many companies focusing on this
particular sector. As a result, we do
see a lot come across companies
developing better tech but the
funding for it along with the right
support still lacks in the country.
The only thing that is stopping the
MedTech sector is the import that
is pouring down on the country.
Around 75% of the market for the
MedTech sector is dominated by
imports from various countries.
Even though the market is
dominated by imports, visionaries
in India are not ready to give up
yet. They are still rising on top with
new tech that will change how the
healthcare structure functions in
the country. The room for growth
is immense according to experts
since the country still suffers from
various problems. In various other
countries, the government-owned
hospitals and firms provide way
better tech than the private ones.
But in India, it is the exact opposite.
This is where the difference is
created. The tech that is received
by the rich is not given to the poor.
But instead, the old tech which is
prehistoric when you compare it
with the current tech is given to the
The Continual Distress in Healthcare
MAY 201930
31. Solved by Startups in India
ones who can’t afford the expensive
tools.
Factors that Needs to Be
Changed in the Country
Many factors are affecting the way
India works in terms of healthcare.
The major cause is funding, which
is quite evident. Startups do lack
the funding which an established
firm procures. Although the tech
is available the inventory isn’t
and it is obvious that these tech
needs money to manufacture due
to the expensive model. Over 90%
of MedTech procurement in the
government happens through a
tender system- where multiple
companies bid to supply a product
(commodity). But due to external
factors and people the right
person doesn’t get the right deal or
investment. Instead the smartest
and the most powerful businessman
or brand wins; this is what needs to
be changed in the current market
for the healthcare division. In India,
for healthcare to survive other
verticals need to be pushed aside
or at least be improved. But it is
obvious these other divisions of the
country won’t improve and won’t let
the right person or firm prosper in
the market.
But there is a solution for these
startups to bring their products
and services to the market and
that is through partnership. With
the right deal and the right people
surrounding you (even though you
had to compromise on few things),
the products and services you
offer will reach the ones who are
in need thus improving the
healthcare system in the country.
SR
MAY 2019 31
32. MAY 201932
D
eep Chand Dialysis Centre
(DCDC) is the leader in
Dialysis Care and Renal
Disease Management. DCDC is one
of the most trusted institutions in
Dialysis care delivery in Delhi/NCR
and rapidly expanding to establish
a wide network in all formats. As an
epitome of trust and compassionate
care, the chain of Dialysis care
always strives to excel with world-
class technology and expertise and
aspires to bring to the community
largest network of state of the art
Haemodialysis facilities, dialysis
centers sans comparison in India,
under the banner of DCDC.
Teamed with state of the art
equipment, RO system, and support
on lifestyle management, up-
keeping the tradition of patient
centricity and care, it provides
quality treatment in a shorter
time without any compromises.
Add to this a hygienic, homelike
environment to make it the best
in renal care. Along with Dialysis,
DCDC also endeavors to bring
forward special services to support
patients in organizing their lives
better.
Why DCDC
With a proven track record of
excellence, DCDC has cultivated
both trust and respect amongst
the patients lending itself to
tremendous brand pull. DCDC has
a slew of customizable solution
suited to the needs of the Hospitals
enabling them to focus on their core
activities while leaving the dialysis
part into the hands of professionals.
The DCDC Advantage:
• Higher Inflow of patients
resulting in growth in the
number of dialysis sessions per
month
• Increased admissions from its
partner centers
• Increase in cross referrals
• Cost Savings
• Best in Class Infrastructure
• Increased patient care via set
SOPs and Protocols including its
very own
• Zero Infection Protocol
(ZIP), trained staff, latest
technology and state of the art
infrastructure
• Proven track record through the
maximum number of satisfied
partnerships with Departments
in Hospitals
India’s First Dialysis
Institute
DCDC is the first dialysis institute
in the country to offer home
hemodialysis to patients at an
affordable cost and with no initial
investment Evidence from well-
planned research studies clearly
proves that home hemodialysis
patients live longer than patients
treated in a dialysis center. There is
also good evidence that the quality
of life of these patients is much
better.
Home hemodialysis is just a call
away. All one needs is to make a call
and DCDC will set up everything.
The company has made it
mandatory for patients to keep their
parent nephrologist in the loop.
Monthly follow up visits to their
parent nephrologist are mandatory.
DCDC Dialysis Service provides a
complete solution to get dialysis at
home at an affordable cost.
Services Offerings
Dialysis on Wheels is a specialized
service designed for patients and
nursing homes that do not have
a dialysis setup of their own. A
specially equipped Ambulance fitted
with all the medical equipment
is at patients’ service to perform
dialysis at the desired location in
the presence of trained paramedical
staff.
DCDC has exclusive partnerships
with market leader Baxter India
Pvt. Ltd. In providing the required
consumables for PD. Apart from
this, DCDC also provides round
the clock medical support such as
telephonic consultations, training
for performing exchanges, nursing
support both Incentre and at home,
as well as all required operative
procedures such as catheter
insertions.
Nephrology Consultations &
Transplant Clinics: The company
provides a top-notch team of
specialists for any Nephrology
consultations. DCDC Nephrologists
will be its clients’ friend,
philosophe, and guides through
patients’ entire journey of ESRD.
Experts in Dialysis Care and Renal Disease
Management: DCDC
33. MAY 2019 33
Preventive Nephrology: Early
detection and determination of
causes and timely treatment can
prevent the onset of ESRD.
Home Comfort/Dialysis Spa:
DCDC believes that its work begins
from the moment the patient starts
his journey from his home to the
dialysis center for his routine
dialysis session.
Incentre Hemodialysis:
Hemodialysis (HD) is one of the
available treatments for ESRD
that utilizes a dialysis machine to
purify the blood. In hemodialysis,
the blood flows through an
artificial kidney or dialyzer with
the help of a dialysis machine that
filters away the waste products.
Meet the Dynamic Leader
Mr. Aseem Garg, Co-
founder & Promoter: Aseem
is an alumnus of Indian Institute
of Management, Bangalore. Post
his MBA, Aseem has worked with
The National Kidney Foundation,
Singapore. NKFS has a network of
over 24 dialysis centers in Singapore
treating over 2400 plus patients
annually and is the undisputed
leader in dialysis services
technology in the Asian region.
Aseem was part of the internal
consulting group at NKFS and
reporting directly to the CEO.
Aseem came back to India to
embark on the path of social
entrepreneurship in order to build a
quality health care model in India.
In a very short time, DCDC has been
able to gain a leadership position in
India. Aseem has been able to attract
meritorious team members because
of his vision and leadership skills as
well as forge important partnerships
to provide growth to the company.
With standardized
dialysis protocol,
well trained renal
professionals, and
backend technology
procedures, ‘DCDC’
brings reliable, safe,
effective dialysis
with meticulously
designed services.”
“
Aseem Garg, Co-founder & Promoter
SR
34. T
he application of
nanotechnology in
the field of medicine
has opened up many new
possibilities for healthcare.
One major innovation that
it has brought forward is
the nanomedicine that uses
properties developed by a
substance on a nano-scale in
order to cross natural barriers
and access new delivery
sites. Moreover, because of its
nanometric size, it can be used
to interact with DNAs or small
proteins at different levels in
blood, tissues, organs or cells.
Such applications make it easier
in the early detection of diseases
and their prevention thereby
making drastic transformation
in the healthcare domain.
Nanomedicine: A New
Approach for Cancer
Care
According to a new research
conducted at the University
of East Anglia (UEA), UK,
nanomedicines can be utilised
to develop cancer therapies with
their nanoparticles designed
to deliver combination therapy
directly to the cancerous cells.
It was also found that the
nanoparticles will soon be
available to make breast and
prostate cancer tumours more
sensitive to chemotherapy.
However, developing
nanomedicines is still in its
early growth phases, and it
might take a little longer for its
mass production. As a growing
research area, nanomedicines
look like a viable treatment in
human trials with the focus on
using nanoparticles to direct a
drug reach a tumour anywhere
in the body. This technology,
developed at UEA, is first of its
kind that is capable of delivering
two drugs in combination to
treat cancer cells.
Some of the anti-cancer drugs
approved for clinical use are
docetaxel and fingolimod. While
the docetaxel is a multiple
sclerosis drug, the fingolimod
is a drug that makes tumours
react better to chemotherapy.
Though approved, fingolimod
still can’t be applied in the
treatment of cancer as it
decreases the levels of white
blood cells in the body while
dangerously suppressing the
immune system of the patient.
The docetaxel has already found
application in cancer treatment
but it is a bit toxic and patients
with chemotherapy resistant
tumours can develop serious
side effects with its usage.
But researchers have designed
the nanoparticles in a way that it
can deliver drugs to the tumour
site without the risks associated
with the usage of both the drugs.
Moreover, this also helps in
using the drug in less amounts
to damage the cancer cells.
Dr. Dmitry Pshezhetskiy from
the Norwich Medical School at
UEA said, “So far nobody has
been able to find an effective
way of using fingolimod in
cancer patients because it’s so
toxic in the blood. We’ve found
a way to use it that solves the
toxicity problem, enabling
these two drugs to be used in a
highly targeted and powerful
combination.”
Development of
Nanomedicine at
Industrial Scale
The researchers at UEA
collaborated with Precision
NanoSystems’ Formulation
Solutions Team to work towards
investigating the possibility
whether such cancer treatment
compounds can be synthesized
at an industrial level. In order to
do that, Precision NanoSystems’
NanoAssemblrTM
technology
was used. Every nanoparticle
has a molecule in them that
can be detected during a MRI
scan thereby allowing clinicians
to monitor the movement of
particles through the body. The
innovations and development
in nanomedicines act as a proof
to show that nanotechnology
can be put to use to make other
areas of healthcare better and
efficient.
Nanomedicines Have the Potential to Become
MAY 201934
SR
35. the New Face of Cancer Treatment Therapy
MAY 2019 35
36. S
tem Cells are the Future of
Modern Science and have the
potential to manage a variety
of lifestyle and life threatening
diseases, previously considered
untreatable. Advancells, a research
oriented company, focuses on stem
cell technologies delivering new
age, risk-free, safe and effective
treatment with no side effects to
patients from all over the world for
conditions previously considered
incurable.
Why Choose Stem Cell
Therapy?
Advancells’ therapy is based on
the principles of “Right quality of
cells, in the Right Quantity injected
at the Right Place.” Advancells
offers regenerative medicine based
treatment which is completely
autologous transplantation of stem
cells isolated from your own Bone
Marrow & Adipose Tissue. Stem
cells have the power to reverse the
effects of many diseases with their
well-known functions - Repair,
Regenerative & Rejuvenate.
Using regenerative therapies like
PRP and Stem Cells, performed
by expert doctors in renowned
multispecialty hospitals, Advancells
has been able to provide
regenerative therapies to more
than 8000 patients from across
the world. This is why Advancells
should be your global provider of
choice for Stem Cell Therapies.
Why Advancells Is The
Right Choice For You?
• Certificate of Authenticity-
Certificate of cell quantity and
quality given to each patient
based on its scientific approach
for stem cells
• Expert Doctors - Perform
regenerative therapy
procedures in renowned
multispecialty hospitals with
multispecialty backup
• World-Class cGMP Lab - With
state-of-the-art facilities for
continuous research and
innovation
• Highest Quality Stem Cells -
Pretested for viability, efficacy
and safety for stem cell-based
treatments
• 8000+ - Patients treated till
date from across the world for a
variety of ailments
• 90% - Over 90% cell viability
in each sample that it issues
significantly reduces the
number of treatments needed
Welcome to Advancells
Advancells is a research oriented
company focused on therapeutic
applications of Regenerative
Medicine. One of the pioneers Stem
Cell Company in India, Advancells
is passionate about the almost
limitless potential of Human Stem
Cells in providing a natural cure for
any ailment that our body suffers
from. With this belief, it strives to
deliver technologies for the safe
and effective treatment options
to patients all over the world at
the highest medical standards. It
works closely with some of the
best medical practitioners at world
class medical centres across the
globe in providing these therapeutic
solutions to the patients. Advancells
is involved in several clinical trials
and innovations across the world
to consistently improve and further
establish the safety and efficacy
of our technology. On its journey
towards the search for the “elixir
of life”, Advancells is backed by
doctors, stem cell experts and
clinical research scientists to
continually monitor and
improve the effectiveness of
the Quality Management System
with excellence and innovation.
Its world class GMP lab is at
the forefront of research and
innovations and in bringing the
best and latest technologies to our
partner medicine practitioners
and centres ultimately benefiting
thousands of patients annually in
finding natural, safe and effective
way in curing and managing not
just life threatening diseases and
ailments but also in preventive
The Power to Cure: Advancells Is a Pioneer in Stem
Cell Therapies Designed and Customised For Individual
Needs of Patients
“Advancells uses
the best processing
and separation
Technology of Stem
Cells in the world.
This technology
consistently
delivers high
cell viability in
processed samples
and is able to
concentrate cells
multiple folds for
use in therapeutic
purposes.”
37. MAY 2019 37
healthcare, cosmetic treatments and
Anti-Ageing Therapies.
Advancells: Vision &
Mission
Regenerative Medicine will
soon be at the centre of all
therapeutic solutions applicable
for a patient irrespective of the
disease. Human Stem Cells based
regenerative therapies combined
with augmented and supplementary
natural therapies will soon be the
gold standard in keeping us healthy
and young for a long period of
time. Advancells welcomes you
to go through its vast literature
about stem cells and how they are
changing modern medicine.
The company works with the
mission to be at the forefront of the
vast research happening across the
world in the field of Regenerative
Medicine. Advancells strives to
consistently develop new, more
efficient protocols and technologies
that will benefit the patients and
bring Regenerative Medicine at the
centre of medical management of
patients irrespective of the disease/
condition that they might be
suffering from.
Advancells’Specialty
Advancells does not follow the
practice of one size fits all and thus
a unique protocol is prepared for
each patient; specifically keeping in
mind the best cell source, viable cell
quantity and reinjection protocol.
It takes pride in being transparent
with our patients and thus every
cell that is being produced in our
laboratory is tested for viability,
efficacy and safety, before being
released for transplant. Every
patient gets a certificate of analysis
as a proof of our promise to them.
Advancells has perfected the art
of cell recovery and are able to
consistently recover more than 94%
cell count from various cell sources
such as bone marrow, adipose
tissues etc. This is up to 10 to 20
times more than what other dated
technologies can perform. It has the
ability to even expand the cell count
via culture if the same is required in
particular patients.
Leading the Global
Market
Advancells aims to be a global
leader in providing every patient
a highly customized protocol for
a 360 degree management of
their disease/condition keeping
Regenerative Medicine in the centre
of therapeutic solution. Its aim is
to provide patients a complete
solution starting from preparation
of the body to receive the
transplant preparations and
follow up for the patient. It aims
to integrate our protocols with
the conventional medicinal
protocols and thereby providing
the patient the best medical
care comprising of Medical and
Surgical management along with
Regenerative Medicine for an all-
round management of the disease.
The Founder’s Desk
Vipul Jain, Founder and CEO
Vipul has over 12 years of experience in healthcare marketing. With background in
Medical Tourism, he has extensive contacts in the medical community across the world
and is thus suitably placed to market the services to the hospitals, doctors and patients.
Vipul Jain
Founder & CEO
SR
38. MAY 201938
T
he sole motto of technology
is to improve people’s life.
Science and technology have
always tried to solve the problems
of those who are handicapped
or physically impaired. With the
intention to provide vision to those
who are visually impaired (but
not by birth), scientists created an
experimental visual device called
visual prosthesis or “bionic eye”. It
promises to provide artificial vision
to a blind person depending on the
cause of the loss of sight. Patients
with vision loss due to degeneration
of photo receptors are ideal for
the visual prosthesis. Hence, those
who have lost their vision from
certain diseases or age-related
macular degeneration are the best
candidates for the treatment.
The device consists of micro-
electrodes, surgically placed in or
near one eye, along the optic nerve,
or in the brain. The idea of using
electric current to provide sight in
a similar manner it provides the
power of hearing in bionic ears
had been around the corner since
the 18th
century, first proposed by
Benjamin Franklin, Tiberius Cavallo,
and Charles LeRoy.
The surgery works for the patients
whose visual system is still
functional (although it has become
weak enough to work naturally).
In such a case, the visual system is
stimulated by the micro-electrodes
which send tiny electrical pulses
to the weak neurons. It helps to
perceive the small spot of light
called phosphenes. It is the same
phenomena by which we still see
light without light actually entering
the eye when we close our eyes.
These phosphenes can be used to
map out the visual image in those
who have a bionic eye.
However, the vision enabled by
visual prostheses is not like what a
person with normal vision would
see. It would be something like a
flashing mosaic, a series of flashing
spots and shapes, which would
help the visually-impaired people
to interpret their environment.
Unfortunately, the technology
is presently not that efficient to
produce natural sight. It is very
basic and can be used to detect
a person, identify the location of
the objects, or help them to walk
without a cane. It is anticipated that
in the future, the bionic eyes will
provide better resolution.
The activities on electrodes are
witnessed as a series of bright
irregular flashes, rather than a
steady perception using which one
can interpret the camera image.
Well, it isn’t that easy and one
who undergoes surgery for visual
prosthesis would need extensive
training to understand the images.
To summarize his experience, a
recipient said, “It is like looking at
the night sky where you have millions
of twinkly lights that almost look like
chaos.” The field of view is smaller
and hence the recipients need to
have a good memory to put the
whole picture together. The quality
of vision heavily depends on the
two factors: the residual eye health
of the patient, and the ability to
interpret the created phosphenes.
The neurons must be viable enough
for the technology to work. Another
challenging factor is that electrodes
Visual Prosthesis:
“Artificial eyes” for
the Blind
39. MAY 2019 39
cannot distinguish the type of
neurons and selectively target them,
because of which bionic eyes cannot
replicate the sense of color.
Scientists are working to improve
image quality and there are several
approaches to solve the challenges
in the existing tech. Following are
some of the examples:
• Increasing the number of micro-
electrodes and reducing their
sizes, allowing them to target
selective neurons for more
independent “pixels” which will
allow greater resolution. There
are newer nano technology
materials available in the
market that might allow the
electrodes to be small enough
to produce a high-quality
resolution
• Redefining the electrical
stimulation patterns to activate
smaller-sized clusters of
neurons. The resolution can
be artificially increased by
creating “virtual electrodes”
where electrical current
is shared between two or
more electrodes. These new
stimulation methods could
reduce blurriness,improve
stability, and possibly even
provide elementary control over
color
Ultimately, researchers are trying
to understand and mimic the
neural code used by the retina to
communicate with the brain. If this
could be replicated, the resulting
vision would become significantly
more natural.
Creating something that could
artificially compensate for the loss
of vision is obviously difficult and
it will take time before one could
imitate how sensory nerves work
in the brain. Right now, what we
have is visual prosthesis and in spite
of all the limitations, it is making
people with vision loss be more
independent. And, it is sure that the
bionic eyes or visual prosthesis will
get better with time.
SR
40. MAY 201940
P
reventable blindness affects
millions of people around the
world today. This scenario is
further compounded by the poor
ratio of ophthalmologists to patients
in many countries across the world.
Forus Health is a medical technology
company with an audacious goal —
to eradicate preventable blindness,
which is a global healthcare
challenge today.
The firm believes that innovation
in technology and creative business
models can help develop sustainable
access to vision care. Creating
social impact is in its DNA and
every product it designs is a direct
consequence of solving a problem.
This is the very philosophy with
which the founding team functions.
The founding team is made up of
curious minds passionate about
creative problem-solving. They
have set out to create a healthcare
ecosystem in 2010 in Bangalore,
India. In 2016, it opened ‘Forus
Health Inc’, its US subsidiary, to
take the vision care solutions to the
world.
Forus Health is today poised to
transform access to vision care by
leveraging opportunities afforded
by a rapidly growing digital
landscape. The firm is providing
integrated and intelligent
technology modules such as Cloud-
based telemedicine platforms to
augment the efficiency of its medical
systems. Now Forus is quickly being
recognized as a pioneering digital
healthcare solutions provider.
Today, it continues to accept new
challenges as technology evolves
and are backed by marquee
investors such as Accel Partners,
IDG Ventures, Asian Healthcare
Fund, and Team Fund.
Products Offered by the
Company
3nethra – Classic: Digital
Non-mydriatic Fundus
Camera
The 3nethra classic is a digital
non-mydriatic fundus camera,
equipped with an efficient workflow
to capture high-resolution images
of the human eye through a quick
focus mechanism that reduces the
examination time. The compact
design enhances mobility and
easy deployment. The ergonomic
control panel allows it to be used
by even a minimally trained person.
3nethra classic assists clinicians
in the evaluation, diagnosis, and
documentation of visual health.
Future of Ophthalmic Care: Forus Health
Technology Delivering Care
“We develop and manufacture highly
advanced medical devices, designed for
the effective management of visual health.
Our technology solutions are built for
affordability and accessibility of both urban
and rural patients.”
41. MAY 2019 41
3nethra – neo: Digital Wide-
field Imaging System
The 3nethra neo is a compact,
portable, and easy-to-use mydriatic
wide-field digital imaging system
used for the photo documentation
of ocular diseases that manifest in
human eyes. The ergonomically
designed, lightweight handpiece
allows for single-handed operation
and captures 120-degree high-
resolution images of the posterior
and anterior segments of the eye.
The device acquires only digital
photographs of the eye and does not
provide any analysis or diagnosis.
The contact device is easily operated
by qualified clinicians and can be
deployed in a versatile clinical
environment such as hospitals,
operating rooms, and Neonatal
Intensive Care Units (NICU).
3nethra – flora: Digital
Mydriatic Fundus Camera
3nethra flora is a digital mydriatic
fundus camera designed to capture
colour, red-free, and Fluoresce in
Angiography (FA) retinal images of
the human eye. The camera provides
high-contrast, undistorted, and
evenly illuminated images of the
peripheral retina for an accurate
diagnosis. The simplified design
of the control panel allows the
operator to switch easily between
procedures while capturing images.
The system improves the intensity
control developed for optimal image
capture.
Cloud-based
Collaborative Digital
Healthcare Platforms
Digital Healthcare Platforms are
essential for creating a collaborative
healthcare ecosystem to engage
patients, empower healthcare
teams, and exponentially scale last
mile delivery of care. Having clinical
data available in one platform
will allow healthcare providers to
increase access to care and improve
patient outcomes while reducing the
operational cost.
The possibility of sharing critical
data at speed facilitates on-
demand, real-time collaboration
between patients and clinical
experts, thereby increasing clinical
efficiency and excellence. Also,
Digital Healthcare Platforms create
a unique opportunity for remote
healthcare consumers to gain access
to clinical expertise regardless of
geographical location.
The Innovative Leader
K Chandrasekhar | Founder & CEO
Chandrasekhar is the brain behind the
development of a technology platform to
increase access to eye care and prevent
avoidable blindness. Chandrasekhar
established a unique strategy to introduce
the revolutionary product ‘3nethra’, which
resulted in an unprecedented expansion
of retinal imaging market in India. Prior
to starting Forus Health, Chandrasekhar
was the Director of Strategy at NXP
Semiconductors and served over 20+
years in major Multinational & Indian
Tech companies. Chandrasekhar is an
alumnus of BITS, Pilani & IIM Kolkata.
K Chandrasekhar, Founder & CEO
SR
42. MAY 201942
R
obotics is a multi-faceted
science, which finds its
application everywhere from
fiction to reality. Gradually, robotics
is changing the shape of healthcare
industries and making an enormous
impact on the field of medical
science. From robots assisting in
surgeries and taking care of patients
to the robotic tools and tech to help
in treatment, robotics science is
making medical procedures safer
and more efficient.
Following are some of the
ways robotics is being used
in the healthcare sectors:
Logistics Handling: Logistics
handling and packaging is
one of the areas in healthcare
management where one can easily
find collaborative robots. When
it comes to packaging, one of the
most important things to take care
of is the safety of the products and
sterilization. When humans are
involved in the task of handling and
packaging of medical equipment
and drugs, there is a high risk of
contamination. As a completely
sterile environment is needed, the
task can be better performed by
robots in the supervision of humans.
Lab Automation: Another field
where robotics finds its application
is lab automation. Path labs around
the world have to undergo a huge
number of blood tests every day and
these tests require a lot of repetitive
tasks. This sounds like a perfect
job to be done by robots. In order
to achieve productivity in the field
of pathology, robots can assist in
performing tests.
One lab in Copenhagen University
Hospital added two UR robots into
their process as it was inundated
with blood samples and needed
to perform 3,000 tests per day.
It allowed them to achieve some
amazing productivity gains. Even
though their workload increased by
20%, they were still able to deliver
90% of their tests within one hour.
Surgery Assistance: Although
robots performing surgery isn’t that
prevalent yet, robots have begun to
assist human doctors in surgeries.
Robots are also being used to place a
digital microscope inside a human’s
body so that the surgeons can get
the best view of the internal organ
which increases precision. Surgeons
can also move the microscopic
robot, by either physically moving
them or directing them via software.
Nursing: Robots is most likely to
replace human nurses in years to
come. Robots assist doctors in the
treatment by measuring patients’
vitals, recording data, alerting
doctors when human intervention
is required, etc. They can also be
used to perform task like disinfect
patients’ rooms, reducing health
risks like infection for medical
personnel.
Robots are changing the face of
healthcare as they are efficient,
fast, and save human labor. But,
the question is: is it taking away
jobs from humans. Although they
have many capabilities to replace
humans, still they cannot replace
human completely or even majorly.
First and the foremost reason is,
these robots are created by humans
themselves and hence requires
human supervision and intervention
all the time. Secondly, robots aren’t
as reliable as human. Thirdly, they
are expensive. Most of the hospitals
cannot afford the technology as
handling and maintaining robotics
is far more expensive than human
labor. Robotics cannot overshadow
human intelligence but they
can work along with humans to
transform healthcare.
Robotics
Changing
the Face of
Healthcare
Forever
SR
43.
44. MAY 201944
C
hild Healthcare in countries
like India requires better
accessibility and affordability.
Born in 2010, AddressHealth aims
to change the way child healthcare
is practiced. A small team of like-
minded people came together and
dreamt of making the pediatric
primary care continuum possible
by using technology and innovation.
At the core of this idea was the
revolutionary concept of reaching
quality healthcare to every child
through schools.
AddressHealth partnered with
schools, understanding that while
the various educational boards
and governments mandate certain
healthcare facilities like school
health checks, infirmaries, and
health education in campuses, the
lack of organized services make it
difficult for schools to meaningfully
implement these. AddressHealth
has been revolutionizing this space
through innovative ways of reaching
into schools with quality for every
child at affordable prices. Its School
Health Service is rapidly turning
this idea real, from one child to the
next, one campus to the other and
one city to another city. It continues
to bring high-quality primary
child healthcare to more and more
children in an ever-expanding
portfolio of partner schools.
A Friend to Every Child
AddressHealth is here to create new
‘addresses’ for childcare. It believes
that parents, schools, and the
community at large must address
children’s health proactively. Schools
hold the primary responsibility of
ensuring that the formative years
of every child is healthy. It partners
them in this mission. AddressHealth
has:
• Over 200 partner schools
• Presence in multiple cities
• Been demonstrably successful
in making over 2 lakh students
healthier
• Offered screening and
counseling on asthma to over
50000 children
Services
Health Check and Follow-
up: AddressHealth Check goes
beyond mandatory requirements
and yet simplifies the process for
school management, students, and
parents. Children who require it are
given a one-on-one follow-up. The
technologically-enabled Electronic
Health Records maintains the
updated health status of each child
in an accurate and easily retrievable
format.
Medical Room: Childcare is most
needed at the place the child spends
most of the day: the school. That’s
why at every school it partners,
AddressHealth sets up and runs a
fully-equipped, nurse-led infirmary
called the AddressHealth Medical
Room. AddressHealth Medical
Rooms is its most comprehensive
offering for schools as they not only
play the role of school infirmaries
but also act as coordination hubs for
various health activities. The units
provide the following services:
• Tele-consultation:
AddressHealth provides tele-
medicine equipped units that
can carry out emergency and
planned teleconsultations with
various child health experts
• First Aid & First Contact
Care: Basic school emergencies
addressed and first aid or first
contact care provided
• Triage & Evacuation Advice:
School nurse assesses the
severity of any adverse medical
event and, if necessary, through
emergency tele-consult, takes
decisions for evacuation or
referral
• Recovery & Observation: For
children with acute illnesses,
facilities to rest and to be under
observation of the school nurse
provided
• Electronic Health Records:
Records for all health
encounters at the center,
integrated with specific history
for each child, maintained by
the staff along with the findings
from annual health check
• Guidance & Consultations
for Further Interventions:
Planned consults arranged for
parents to be guided on specific
health issues of children
Health Education:
AddressHealth Education is a
sequential, structured health
education curriculum for school
children. In its partner schools, it
Pioneering in Child Healthcare Services that
Deliver Quality: AddressHealth